Census: Chicago area saw decrease in population last year

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Census: Chicago area saw decrease in population last year

CHICAGO (AP) — New U.S. Census data show that Cook County saw a drop in population last year but still retained its status as the second-most-populous county in the U.S.

The Chicago Tribune reports that data released Thursday show Cook County lost more than 20,000 residents in 2017. Data also show that about 13,300 residents left the Chicago metropolitan area, which includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and parts of Indiana and Wisconsin.

The metropolitan area has seen declines in population in recent years. It lost more than 11,000 residents in 2016 and nearly 3,400 residents in 2015.

The Census Bureau says the Chicago area remains the third-most-populous metropolitan area in the country. However the bureau says it was the only metropolitan area in the country’s top 10 to see a decrease in population rather than an increase.